Jimmy-proof door guard

ABSTRACT

A jimmy-proof door guard comprises an assembly of a channel member and an angle bar. The channel member is secured laterally to a door jamb and the angle bar is secured to the outside of the door. The assembly is located at the height of the lock on the door. When the door is closed, the angle bar fits into the channel member so that the bolt of lock cannot be reached and pried open. The channel member and bar are so arranged that the angle bar covers holding the channel member of the door jamb and the channel member covers screws holding the angle bar on the door.

United States Patent Primary ExaminerMarvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner- Edward J. McCarthy Attorney-Polachek and Saulsbury ABSTRACT: A jimmy-proof door guard comprises an assembly of a channel member and an angle bar. The channel member is secured laterally to a door jamb and the angle bar is secured to the outside of the door. The assembly is located at, the height of the lock on the door. When the door is closed, the angle bar fits into the channel member so that the bolt of lock cannot be reached and pried open. The channel member and bar are so arranged that the angle bar covers holding the channel member of the door jamb and the channel member covers screws holding the angle bar on the door.

JIMMY-PROOF DOOR GUARD This invention concerns a door guard to prevent prying open a lock on the door.

Various types of door and :lock protectors have been proposed heretofore. Typical of these is one described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,271,063. Here mutually interfitting channel members are secured by screws to a door and door jamb. The screws which hold the channel members are exposed at the front of the door and can be removed or broken off to destroy the security provided by the channel members. Further, the channel members are curved so that access can be had to the lock on the door by inserting a thin flexible metal or plastic strip between the channel members. Other doors and lock protectors have the same or similar disadvantages in addition to being complex and expensive in construction, difficult or awkward to operate, and difficult to install. In some cases radial alterations must be made in the door, lock or door jamb structure to accommodate the protective devices. All these are objectionable features.

The present invention is directed at overcoming the above and other difficulties and disadvantages of prior door guards by providing an assembly of parts which are simple but rugged in construction, easy to install, inexpensive, foolproof and reliable. No special tools, skill or alterations are require for installation.

According to the invention the door guard assembly includes an angle bar and channel bar. The angle bar has a narrow flange and a wide flange. The narrow flange is screwed to the front of a door. The channel bar has parallel flanges with aligned holes. These holes enable the channel bar to be secured laterally to a door jamb. When the door is closed, the wider flange of the angle bar fits between the parallel side flanges of the channel bar and closes off access to the screws holding the channel bar on the door jamb. The back and outer flange of the channel bar cover the angle bar so that access to the screws which hold the angle bar on the door is closed off. The parts of the assembly are located at the height of a lock on the door. The parts interfit so that a flexible strip, card or other tool cannot be inserted between the parts to push back the spring bolt of the lock on the door. Furthermore a jimmy or other prying tool cannot be inserted effectively between the bars to pry them off.

it is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a door guard assembly including an angle bar and channel bar mountable respectively on a door and door jamb to protect a lock on the door from being pried open.

It is another object to provide a door guard which can be installed without requiring any alternation of the door or door jamb structure.

Another object is to provide a door guard which has no moving parts, which is easy to install, which is rugged in construction, which requires no special tools or skill for installation, and which can be easily and quickly removed if necessa- Another object is to provide a door guard arranged so that mounting screws are effectively protected by the parts of the door guard themselves when the door is closed.

For further comprehension, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

H0. 1 is an oblique view of a door guard assembly shown mounted on a door in closed position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an oblique view similar to FIG. 1 showing the parts of the door guard assembly on the door and door jamb, the door being in open position.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken on lines 44 and 5-5 respectively of FIG. 3.

F105. 6 and 7 are enlarged perspective views of the angle bar and channel bar respectively.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged crosssectional view taken on line 8-8 of H0. 7.

HO. 9 is another perspective view of the channel bar, with part broken away, particularly showing the side flange which attaches to the door jamb.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown a door guard assembly 10 including two basic parts, a right angle bar 12 which mounts on a hinged door 14, and a rectangular U- shaped channel 16 which mounts on the jamb 18 of the hinged door. The doorhas a conventional lock 20 with an angular spring bolt 22 which extends through striker plate 24 into the door jamb. Below the lock is a conventional door knob 25.

The angle bar-and channel bar are preferably each about 24 inches long but they can be made longer if desired. The angle bar and channel bar are installed so that their centers are aligned in a horizontal plane and are located at about the height of the lock 20, thus upper and lower ends of the angle bar and channel member are located respectively about 12 inches above and below the lock.

Angie bar 12 has a straight, flat, narrow flange. 26 and a wider straight, flat flange 28 perpendicular to flange 26; see FIGS. 2, 4 and 6. A pair of spaced screwholes 30 is located near each end of flange 26. These holes receive screws 32 which secure the angle bar near edge 33 door 14. Flange 26 then abuts the front side of the door and flange 28 extends perpendicular to the door. The angle bar is spaced a sufficient distance from edge 33 to permit this edge to enter recess 34 of door jamb 18.

Channel bar 16 has a pair of parallel, straight, flat side flanges 34, 36 spaced apart by the width of straight flat back 38; see FIGS. 2, 5, -79. Holes 40 are formed in flange 34 at spaced points along the length thereof. Screwholes 42 which may be countersunk are formed in flange 36 in axial alignment with holes 40. Holes 40 are slightly larger than holes 42. Screws 44 secure flange 36 laterally against the side 45 of the door jamb 18. Holes 40 permits entry of a screwdriver and screws to secure the channel to the door jamb. Back 38 faces forwardly. The channel is open inwardly or rearwardly so that it receives flange 28 of angle bar 12 when the door is closed as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Flange 28 is substantially equal in width to flanges 34, 36 to abut back 38 when the door is closed.

The door can be opened and closed freely without interference by any part of the door guard assembly. When the door is closed, the free edge 48 of flange 34 abuts flange 26 to cover screws 32 and screwholes 30 so that the angle bar cannot be pried off the door; see FIG. 2. Flange 28 is disposed between the flanges 34 and 36 so that screws 44 and screwholes 42 are covered and concealed by flange 28 when the door is closed. This effectively prevents the channel member from being pried off.

it will be noted that the front edge 50 of flange 28 abuts the inner side 52 of channel back 38. This prevents any thin flexible tool, card, strip or the like from being inserte between the parts of the door guard assembly and thus forestalls any such attempt to retract spring bolt 22. it also prevents entry of a prying tool into either end of the channel bar. Flanges 34, 36 should be closely spaced for this purpose.

The angle bar and channel bar are made of heavy gauge wrought iron or steel to provide'long, trouble free service. The assembly is compact and inconspicuous and does not mar the basic appearance of the door and door jamb. The parts can be painted to match the door and door jamb if desired. The parts can be installed by use of simple tools such as a screwdriver.

No special skill for installation is required. Removal of the parts of the assembly is easily and quickly done by removing the screws.

What 1 claim is:

l. A door guard assembly mountable on a hinged door having a lock and door jamb, comprising a right angle bar having mutually perpendicular first and second flanges, and first means for mounting the angle bar on the front side of the door near and parallel to its free edge so that the second flange extends forwardly from the front side of the door in a vertical plane; and a channel bar having a rectangular U-shaped cross section with an open side and with third and fourth flanges disposed parallel to each other and integral with a flat channel back, and second means for securing the channel member to the door jamb with the third flange abutting the door jamb, with the channel back facing forward, with the fourth flange disposed in a vertical plane parallel to the third flange, and with the open side of the channel bar facing rearwardly toward the door, said angle bar and channel member having substantially the same length and being mountable at the same height on the door and door jamb respectively and substantially centered at said lock so that the second flange enters between the third and fourth flanges to prevent entry of a tool between the angle bar and channel member to the lock when the door is closed, said first means comprises spaced holes in the first flange for receiving screws to secure the angle bar to the door, said second means comprises spaced other holes in the third and fourth flanges, the holes in the fourth flange being axially aligned with and larger than the holes in the third flange to permit insertion of screws and a screwdriver through the holes in the fourth flange to the holes in the third flange and to secure the channel bar to the door jamb.

2. A door guard assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the angle bar and channel bar are each at least long enough to extend at opposite ends above and below said lock when the angle bar and channel bar are mounted on the door and door jamb respectively to prevent application ofa tool to said lock,

3. A door guard assembly as defined in claim I, wherein the holes in said first flange are closely spaced with respect to the second flange so that the fourth flange abuts the first flange when the door is closed and substantially covers the holes and screws in the first flange.

4. A door guard assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein the second means comprises spaced other holes in the third and fourth flanges, the holes in the fourth flange being axially aligned with and larger than the holes in the third flange to permit insertion of screws and a screwdriver through the holes in the fourth flange to the holes in the third flange and to secure the channel bar to the door jamb.

5. A door guard assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein the second flange has a width substantially equal to that of the'first and second flanges so that the free edge of the second flange abuts the inner side of said channel back and effectively conceals and protects the holes and screws in the third flange when the door is closed and prevents entry of a prying tool into thr." channel bar.

6. A door guard assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the angle bar and channel bar are each at least long enough to extend at opposite ends above and below said lock when the angle bar and channel bar are mounted on the door and door jamb respectively to prevent application ofa tool to said lock. 

1. A door guard assembly mountable on a hinged door having a lock and door jamb, comprising a right angle bar having mutually perpendicular first and second flanges, and first means for mounting the angle bar on the front side of the door near and parallel to its free edge so that the second flange extends forwardly from the front side of the door in a vertical plane; and a channel bar having a rectangular U-shaped cross section with an open side and with third and fourth flanges disposed parallel to each other and integral with a flat channel back, and second means for securing the channel member to the door jamb with the third flange abutting the door jamb, with the channel back facing forward, with the fourth flange disposed in a vertical plane parallel to the third flange, and with the open side of the channel bar facing rearwardly toward the door, said angle bar and channel member having substantially the same length and being mountable at the same height on the door and door jamb respectively and substantially centered at said lock so that the second flange enters between the third and fourth flanges to prevent entry of a tool between the angle bar and channel member to the lock when the door is closed, said first means comprises spaced holes in the first flange for receiving screws to secure the angle bar to the door, said second means comprises spaced other holes in the third and fourth flanges, the holes in the fourth flange being axially aligned with and larger than the holes in the third flange to permit insertion of screws and a screwdriver through the holes in the fourth flange to the holes in the third flange and to secure the channel bar to the door jamb.
 2. A door guard assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the angle bar and channel bar are each at least long enough to extend at opposite ends above and below said lock when the angle bar and channel bar are mounted on the door and door jamb respectively to prevent application of a tool to said lock.
 3. A door guard assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the holes in said first flange are closely spaced with respect to the second flange so that the fourth flange abuts the first flange when the door is closed and substantially covers the holes and screws in the first flange.
 4. A door guard assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein the second means comprises spaced other holes in the third and fourth flanges, the holes in the fourth flange being axially aligned with and larger than the holes in the third flange to permit insertion of screws and a screwdriver through the holes in the fourth flange to the holes in the third flange and to secure the channel bar to the door jamb.
 5. A door guard assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein the second flange has a width substantially equal to that of the first and second flanges so that the free edge of the second flange abuts the inner side of said channel back and effectively conceals and protects the holes and screws in the third flange when the door is closed and prevents entry of a prying tool into the channel bar.
 6. A door guard assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the angle bar and channel bar are each at least long enough to extend at opposIte ends above and below said lock when the angle bar and channel bar are mounted on the door and door jamb respectively to prevent application of a tool to said lock. 